Letting Go

Chapter 8

Sometimes I think about what life would be like if I was born in a different body. What if I was skinny? Or maybe even pretty. If I had the opportunity to change anything about myself, I would end up fixing everything.

Two months have passed and the weather shifted from warm and breezy to deathly cold and never wanting to leave the warmth of your shower. Right now Elson and I are in sixth period and the teacher decided to take the class on a "field trip" to the school library. We are suppose to be researching topics for our research paper, but most of the class is either asleep at a table or on their phones. Elson on the other hand is rolling on the floor and with a banana in hand and pretending to be a spy. With his back against the bookcase, he lifts his left leg on the bookshelf across from him. Elson looks to his left, and then he looks to his right. Slowly, he raises his banana and points it to the teacher who is talking to the librarian most likely about her students.

Taking a moment to look at Elson, I realized that there was something off about his ankle. It seemed bigger than what an ankle should look like..if that makes sense. Reaching into my sweatpant pockets, I pulled out my glasses and put them on to take a better look at scenario happening in front of me. Just as my vision became clearer, Elson's pants rode up a bit exposing his ankle. You have got to be kidding me.. Right inside of his banana socks, Elson had a smaller banana wedged right in his sock. Kicking his leg off of the bookshelf, he slid down the bookcase he was leaning against, turned so he would face me, then rolled himself backwards with his banana still in hand.

Bringing my hand up to my face I shook my head a bit at his randomness. Who puts a banana in their sock? Daring to look up, I moved my hand away from my face and saw that he was still rolling. Something is seriously wrong with him. Starting to to walk towards Elson, I adjusted the book bag on my shoulder and kept my head down out of habit of not wanting anyone to notice me. If I keep my head down, I'll become invisible and people won't notice me.

As I was walking towards Elson something hard came into my personal bubble and I stumbled backwards almost tripping on my feet. Suddenly two hands came towards the sides of my arms and steadied me in place. Startled, I jumped back from whomever was in front of me and tripped over a book behind me that I didn't see from before.

"I am so sorry, are you okay?"

Nodding, I pushed myself up and brushed myself off.

"Are you sure?" Placing their hand on my shoulder, I looked up to see the person in front of me. In front of me stood a guy who was very much taller than me, blue-green eyes, and thick brown eyebrows. His eyebrows are so pretty..

"Hello?" The guy in front of my was waving his other hand in front of my face pulling my thoughts away from his eyebrows. Opening my mouth to say something, Elson popped up from behind him putting one of his bananas against his temple and the other banana against his neck acting as if the bananas were a weapon.

Whispering into the guys ear, Elson said, "What kinda of monkey business do you think you're trying to peel here?"

Peel here?

The guy pulled his hands away from my face and shoulder and let them drop to his side. Elson moved away from guy and moved in front of me pointing both bananas in his face. Is he serious right now. The guy across from us chuckled and grabbed Elson's big banana and peeled it. Taking a big bite out it, the guy smiled right Elson and ruffled his hair.

"Elson. What are you doing pointing bananas at me? If that they way you treat your volleyball captain?"

Wha-

"Excuse me." Lowering his banana, Elson crossed his arms and pouted. "You hurt my Cartier."

You're who?

The guy in front of us raised his eyebrow at Elson and looked between the two us. "This is Cartier?"

Nodding and smiling oddly proud, Elson put his banana in his back pocket and put his arm around my shoulder. "This is Cartier. Car. T. Air. Cartier."

Rolling my eyes, I shrugged his arm off my shoulder and took one step to the side moving away from him. I put my attention towards the guy in front us and gave him a small wave. Smiling just a bit, the guy waved back and introduced himself,

"Hey. I'm Emerson. Sorry for bumping to you earlier, are you okay?"

Stepping in front of me, Elson spread out his legs and opened his arms blocking my view from Emerson. Annoyed at Elson actions and curious of what was going to happen next, I popped my head from around Elson's torso and looked up at the guys.

Leaning forward, Elson whispered, "Emerson."

Raising his eyebrow, Emerson leaned forward and whispered, "Elson."

"Practice is after school right?"

"Yes"

"Can Cartier come?"

What. Looking at me, Emerson chuckled and then nodded. "Of course."

"Yesssssss!!" Pulling out the banana from his back pocket Elson awkwardly moved his hips in a circular motion as if it was his attempt to belly dance and he moved his arm with the banana in hand back and forth. As Elson was dancing atrociously in the library, Emerson pulled out his phone and recorded him on his phone while laughing. Is this normal..? Eventually after a few seconds, Elson stopped dancing and bowed down in the direction of Emerson's camera,

"Thank you everyone for watching! I hope all of you enjoyed." With a wink and pretending to shoot Emerson's phone, Emerson stopped recording and put his phone in his pocket. I couldn't catch what Emerson said to Elson, but they high fived and Emerson began walking away. Right before exiting the library, he turned and looked directly at me and waved. Then he left, and I watched as the door closed behind him. Other than Elson, he is the only other person who has been nice to me in this school. He must be new.